Kent’s collaborative work in China and its long-term internationalisation strategy were highlighted during a meeting with Mr Shen Yang, Minister Counsellor for Education at the Chinese Embassy (London).
During his visit on 30 September to the University’s Canterbury campus, the Minister Counsellor was particularly keen to learn about the opportunities for exchange placements between Chinese and UK students. He also expressed an interest in the Kent’s fundraising and Hong Kong/China Portal projects, and its links with universities in those territories, as well as the large number of Kent students undertaking exchanges between the two regions.
In a meeting with Kent’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, Pro-Vice-Chancellor External Professor Alex Hughes and representatives of its academic schools and International Development Office, the Minister Counsellor received updates on the achievements of the Hong Kong/China Portal since its launch in 2010. He also learned about Kent’s Sir David Akers-Jones Hong Kong and China Fund – a bursary designed to promote student study and work placements abroad – and the University’s involvement with the European Commission-funded Erasmus Mundus Action 2 EU-Asian Mobility Project, LOTUS Unlimited. Kent’s strategic partnerships with universities in Hong Kong and mainland China were a further discussion topic.
The Minister Counsellor was accompanied on his visit by First Secretary Wang Huanxian.
Professor Hughes said: ‘We were delighted to have hosted this visit by the Minister Counsellor and Mr Wang. It was important for all those attending to revisit the options available for student exchanges and to discuss the current and forthcoming opportunities our students have to study and work in China and Hong Kong.’
Kent currently has over 500 Chinese students studying a variety of courses, from International Foundation Programmes to PhD level.
For more information about our activities in China and Hong Kong, please visit the Hong Kong/China Portal website or contact International Development.